Means for tightening the strings of tennis rackets



1 J. McDouGALL MEANS FOR TIGHTENING THE STRINGS 0F TENNIS RACKETS Filed Sept. 27, 1921 dmdav M M 56; LM.L

Patented Apr. 28, 1925.

PATENT QFFICE.

JOHN MGDOUGALL. OF AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND.

MEANS FOR TIGHTEITING THE STRINGS OF TENNIS BASKETS.

Application filed September 27', 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN MCDOUGALL, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Orakau Avenue, Epsom, Auckland, New Zealand, aforesaid, have invented a new and useful Improved Means for Tightening the Strings of Tennis Rackets, of which the following is a-specification.

This invention has reference to the ordinary and well known forms of tennis rackets and it has been devised in order to provide means for use in the tightening of the strings, that may be put into operation at any time and which means are employed also for the attachment of the longitudinal strings to the frame. The use of the invention will allow of such strings being replaced whenever required without the necessity of employing skilled labour and then strained to any degree of tautness, at the same time tightening the whole of the strings generally.

The invention consists in the combination with the racket frame, of a spindle that is mounted to extend transversely across its width at the handle end of the frame and through which the corresponding ends of the longitudinal strings, or most of them, are threaded so that the rotation of the spindle will wind the strings upon it and thereby draw them tight. The spindle at one end, outside the frame, has a small ratchet wheel fixed on it, and a pawl is pivoted in the spindle bearing adjacent to the wheel so as to be adapted to engage with the teeth of such ratchet wheel and lock the spindle from a reverse rotation when it has been wound in the manner described. The other end of the spindle is squared to receive a key by means of which it may be gripped and wound whenever required.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which I Figure 1 is a plan of a racket having the improvements in position thereon.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same.

A is the ordinary racket frame having the transverse strings threaded to and fro in the usual way and also, if desired, the side longitudinal strings. B is the spindle Serial No. 503,596.

mounted to extend transversely across the frame A near its inner end and carried at its two ends in small bearing blocks C of metal fastened to the outsides of the respective frame sides. This spindle may also he stayed at its middle from any lateral bending by means of the stay fingers D fixed one on each side of the handle tongue and overlapping the spindle. The spindle is made with apertures I) through it at intervals apart in its length corresponding to the distance apart of the longitudinal strings, so that these strings may be passed to and fro through the outer end of the frame and through these apertures to assume the proper positions in the stringing of the racket. Thus when the spindle is rotated, it will wind the strings upon it and draw them tight, and thus the desired tautness of the stringing may be obtained, and maintained from time to time. The tightening of the longitudinal strings will also have a tightening effect upon the transverse strings.

To provide for the spindle being locked at any point in its rotation, a small ratchet wheel E is fixed on one end, such wheel being preferably of a size to lie within the compass of the frames width, and a pawl F is pivoted in the bearing 0 at that end and is adapted to engage and lock the ratchet wheel. This pawl may be turned out to free the wheel whenever it is required to turn the spindle and when turned in will be retained in position by the tension on the ratchet wheel caused by the strings tending to unwind the spindle. The other end of this spindle is squared, as at G, to receive the winding key.

I claim 1. In tennis rackets and the like, a spindle mounted to extend transversely across within the frame near its inner end, and through which the inner ends of the longitudinal strings of the racket are threaded, and means whereby such spindle may be r0- tated in its bearings and may be locked from rotation, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

2. In tennis rackets, a spindle arranged to extend transversely across the frame,

near its inner end, bearing blocks fixed on the frame sides respectively at each end of the spindle and in which the spindle is mounted, a ratchet wheel upon the end of the spindle and positioned outside the frame-, a pawl; pivoted in the adjacent been ing; and adapted to engage suclr ratchet wheel, and a key receiving end formeden the other end of the spindle, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signa ture.

JOHN MODOUGALL.

Witnesses:

DAVID BROWN HUTIION,

WILLIAM HENRY MCCOMBIE. 

